Cachetic - wasting away disease

I am facing the same problem with my mom, she has loss a lot of weight. We struggle everyday to get her to eat and we don’t know what to do. All her taste buds are off. Things she liked to eat, she no longer likes.

Ever since my husband had his first chemo treatment on Dec. 11, he has been having trouble with eating. The last week or so, it has gotten worse. He can't keep anything down. As soon as he eats something, he throws up. He hasn't slept for 3 nights now. I know he is extremely tired and is probably losing more weight. All he does is vomit but it is the dry heaves because he really has nothing in his stomach. I would bet that he only weighs around 103 pounds now. I feel like I am just watching him waste away day by day. It is so sad. I feel so bad for him. To go through all of this to try to extend your life for a year or so. Is it worth it? I wonder. His cancer is late stage 4 so it is definitely terminal. His next treatment is Jan 2. I just hope he is strong enough to get through it-if he does not end up in the hospital. Prayers for your mom and you. That is all we can do. Put it in the hands of God.

Denise, was your husband given any meds for nausea such as Zofran? There are very small tablets that melt under the tongue which really help to curb the nausea from the side effects of chemo.
When someone has a chemo treatment, there’s usually 4 weeks between cycles. The first week after, there’s generally fatigue and some nausea. The 2nd week can be extreme fatigue, more nausea, lack of appetite and ennui and the blood counts drop to very low. By week three, usually the blood numbers start to rise and the patient feels a little better, just in time for the 2nd round. So your husband is most likely at that low stage yet and should be rebounding, though everyone has a different rate of recovery.
I know he doesn’t feel like eating. But if you could have small amounts of food that he can just grab and graze would be helpful.
My husband had little containers in the fridge with bit sized pieces of PBJ sandwhiches or cheese and crackers, chucks of lean meat such as chicken breast, pork roast, he’d have small squares of omelets, etc. That way I didn’t have to face a large dinner plate of food that made me want to upchuck.

You can ask his oncologist to prescribe Zofran or another anti nausea med. There are Queasy Drops or Ginger candies that can help as well.

Thanks for your reply. The problem here is that my husband wants to eat but he can't keep it down. As soon as he eats something he throws up. Yes, they did give him nausea pills, but he said he is not nauseated. I told him to take them anyways. Whether he does or not, I don't know. I would like to control his pills but putting them in one of those pill boxes but he does not want me to. But he forgets what he has and doesn't has. He has thrown out pills before whithout realizing what they were or that he even did it. He is a tough one to help. He acts like I don't know anything. I have made whatever he thinks he could eat, but he is a very picky eater and always has been. He won't eat any of the things you listed above because I have already suggested those foods to him. So, I just let him be. Just a little while ago, I made him a grilled cheese. He ate half and so far, so good. Thanks again for the advice. Have a Happy New Year!